Efficacy of pregabalin in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia

Cephalalgia. 2008 Feb;28(2):174-81. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01483.x. Epub 2007 Nov 26.

Abstract

This prospective, open-label study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pregabalin treatment in patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia with and without concomitant facial pain. Fifty-three patients with trigeminal neuralgia (14 with concomitant chronic facial pain) received pregabalin (PGB) 150-600 mg daily and were prospectively followed for 1 year. The primary outcome was number of patients pain free or with reduction of pain intensity by > 50% and of attack frequency by > 50% after 8 weeks. Secondary outcome was sustained pain relief after 1 year. Thirty-nine patients (74%) improved after 8 weeks with a mean dose of 269.8 mg/day (range 150-600 mg/day) PGB: 13 (25%) experienced complete pain relief and 26 (49%) reported pain reduction > 50%, whereas 14 (26%) did not improve. Patients without concomitant facial pain showed better response rates (32 of 39, 82%) compared with patients with concomitant chronic facial pain (7 of 14, 50%, P = 0.020). Concomitant chronic facial pain appears to be a clinical predictor of poor treatment outcome. PGB appears to be effective in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Analgesics / administration & dosage
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Facial Pain / complications
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pregabalin
  • Prospective Studies
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia / complications
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia / drug therapy*
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / administration & dosage
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Analgesics
  • Pregabalin
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid